Forehand



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. G. HOWE.

REVOLVING FIRE ARM.

110,373,893. Patented Nov. 29, 1887.

WITNEEEES INVENTEIR' (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet, 2. J. G. HOWE.

REVOLVING FIRE ARM.

Patented Nov. 29,1887.

WFFNEEEEE 4%; fiJWZA zen of the United States,

UNITED, STATES PATENT OFFICE. I

oan e. HOWE, or WORCESTER, MAssAoHUsEi-Ts, Assiouon ro SULLIVAN:

, y p FQREHAND, or SAME rLAoE.

- JEVQLVING FI E- I VL SPBCII'ICATIOR forming part of Letters Patent No.313.893. dated November 29, 188 7.

Application llled April-1, 1687. Serial m5. 233.251. (No models .Zo allwhom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN C. HOWE. a citiresiding at Worcester, in thecounty of Worcesteriand State of Massachusetts, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Revolving Fire Arm's;

a full, clear,

and I do hereby declare that the following is and exact descriptionthereof, which, in connection with the drawings making a part of thisspecification, will enable others skilled in the art to which myinvention belongs to make and use the same.-

My invention relates to improvements in revolving fire-arms; and itconsists in certain novel features of construction and operation of themechanism for cockingjandfiring the same, and also or' the mechanismforsecuring the barrel portion to the stock, to prevent the discharge ofthe fire arm in case the not properly secured together.

The object of my invention is to construct a revolving fire-arm in sucha manner that it cannot be discharged by drawing back the trigge as iscustomary in self mocking .revolvers, but requires the pressing in ofabutton extending through the handleorstoclc to release the hammer afteritis cooked and allow the same to operate to discharge thefire-arm.

By my improved construction I prevent the hammer-from being operated todischarge the fire-arm, except by the pnshingin of a button extendingthrough the' handle; but I do'not prevent the trigger and connectingmechanism from being operated to cause/ the cylinder to be revolved andthe hammerto be fully cooked preparatory to firing, for this'can bedone, as in fire-arms of the ordinary construction',without regard tothe button for operating, the

. hammer;

the stock, so as to; prevent the fire-arm from being discharged in casethe stock and barre portion are not properly secured together, as

will be' hereinafter fully described.

. Referring to the drawings, Figure is a side elevation of a revolverembddyi n'g my improve ments. Fig. 2 is the revolver shown in Fig.1

with the stock shown in section to more clear] y same are 7 illustratemy improvements. The parts are shown in their normal POSllilOllSJ-f Fig.3 is a vertical section through a portion of the stock of the revolver,taken at line an, Fig. 2,1ookiug in the directionof arrow 0, toillustrate to illustrate the manner of holding the firing-.

pin in. place. Fig. 5 corresponds with the I view shown in'Fig. 2,except that the several parts of the cooking and'fi'ring mechanism areshown in their opposite positions ready for the discharge of therevolver. by pushing. in the button (not shown) torelease-the-hammer'and 'allow it to operate. The dotted linesrepresentrthe hammer after it is released, and-also the position of thelever connecting the hamthe barrel portion not properly secured to thestock, and the manner of preventing the hammer from beingcoekod, and thedischarge of the. revolver by pushing in the 'button' to re lease thehammer, as will be hereinafter fully described.

Inlthe. accompanying drawings, the barrel I ste m,5, secured in thebarrel portion in any well-known manner- The stock or fram'e3 has inth'is instance the trigger 6 in its lower forwardpart pivoted ona pin,7. "A spring, 8, secured at 9 to the stock 3,with its free end pressingupon the upper part of trigger 6 back of its pivot-point, serves torestorethe trigger to its'normal position, Fig. 2, afterf it has beenoperated. The hammer lOis pivoted on'a f tubular stud, 11, screwed intothe under side of the stock or frame 3. (See Fig. 3.) The vinainspring12 is connected with the hammer 10 in any ordinary way to cause the sameto operate.

Theupper end ofthelhannner'ldisadapted vi 7 to eugage'wit-h-the head 0fthe firing-pin 13, (see Fi .2)- of any'o'rdinary construction, supportedin thei'stock 3; and in 'thisinstance held 1 I mer with the trigger; andFig. 6; represents jsvaaca in place by a pin,'14, securedin the stock anentering iiito a circumferential groove madein-the firing-pin 13. (SeeFig. 4'.)

A lever or pawl, 15," is securediat its lower -5-endto the hammer 10,and is adaptedto engageat its upper end with the ratchet-teeth .on themind of the cylinder 4, to' cause said cylinderto revolve'in the usualmanner, as he" ammer is tilted back or cooked. (See r'o Fi'gs.-2and 5.)

The trigger 6 is connected with the hammer 10 by means of a lever,'16,'pivoted at one end by a pin, 17, to said trigger,' and provided with anotch, 18, (see dotted lines, Fig. v5,) atx5 its-other end adapted toengage with ascrew .or stnd,.19, secured in or formed-on the ham-.

' mer10.- In this instance the surface of the hammer I0 is cut out,as'indicated at 20, Figs. 2

and-3, so that the upper surface of the lever 16 will be flush with theupper surface of the hammer and allow said lever 16 to pass freelyj 7under the pawl 15.- (See Fig. d.) The cylindel -locking lever 21 is.pivoted at 22, and is operated to release the cylinder and allow the.

-.same to be revolved by the pawl 15 in the ormeans of a ream orprojection, 23, upon the uppe'r'edge of the lever 16. A spring, 24, se-

- cured at 25, serves to keep the lower end of the lever 21 in contactwith the lever 16, to be operated by the same, and'at the same timeserva to force down the lever 16 at its free 'end, so that the notch 18will engage with the stud 1 9, as before described. I From the abovedescription, in connection with the drawings, it will be readily seenthat by drawing back the trigger 6 the cylinderlockinglcver21is'operatedto release the cylvinder'by means of the projection 23 on the le- 0 ver16. The hammer 10 is cooked through the intervention of the lever 16,connecting it with thetrigger 6 in the manner above described and thepawl 15,,connected with the hammer, is operated to revolve the cylinder4, and the several partsof the mechanism assume the position shown byfull lines, Fig. 5. The notch 18 in the lever 16, engaging with the stud19 on the hammer 10, as above. de-

scribed, holds said hammcr in its backward position when it is cocked,and will so hold it and prevent it'from being operated to .discharge thefire arm until some supplementary mechanism is brought into action toraise the free end of the lever 16 and disengage it from the stud 19 onthe hammer 10, thus releasing said hammer and allowing the mainspring 12to act tooperatctbe same to discharge thefirdarm, as shown by dottedlines, Fig. 5.

I will now proceed to describe the mechan- I-e ismfor raising the freeend of the lever 16 or v disengaging the notch 18 therein from thestud19 on the hammer 10 to release the same andallow it to operate todischarge the fire-arm.

I have shown' in the drawings one way of constructing said mechanism;but it will be understood that I do not limit myself to thisconstruction, as any equivalent way may be dinary manner as-the hammer 10 isco'cked by spiral spring,

employed in'licuof that-shown. Said mechanism for raising the freecnd'of the lever 16 and releasing the hammer 10 after it has beencocked, to allow itto operate, is most clearly illustrated in Fig. 3 ofthe drawings, and a clear understanding 0t the construction andoperation of said mechanism will be obtained by referring to said Fig.3, in connection with Fig. 5. The handle of the stock 3 is provided withan opening extending through the same on the left-hand side thercofitoallow the pushbutton 26-toi extend through the handle at one side," withits outer surface projecting slightly above the surface of the handle.(See Figs.1and 2.) In this instance the head of the push-button 26 isadapted to fit into a ci-rcnlar openlng made in the left side of thehandle, and the shank of said button extends through the side of thehandle and is provided with an internal screw-thread adapted to engagewith a screw-thread upon the end of a pin, 27, forming the centralstudor spindle of the button 26 and moving in and out with saidibutton.The pin 27 extends through the, tubular stud 11,'up on which the hammer10 is pivoted, as hereinbefore described,and asmall 28, cncirclw saidpin'27 and is inclosed-withinthe stud 11 Said spring 28 bears at itslower end against a shoulder or flange upon the interior of thetubularstud 11, and at its upper end against the inner surface of the circularhead or flange 29, formed upon the upper part of the pin 27. The uppersurface of the head 29 comes in contact with the interior surface of theside of the bandle (see Fig. 3) and limits the action of the spring 28.By pushingin the button 26 against the action of the spring 28 the pin27 and the head 29 thereon move with it. ,The lower part of the head'29is made beveled or slightly tapering, (see Fig; 3,);for the purpose tobe hereinafter described.

The lever16, connecting the trigger 6 with the hammer 10, as abovedescribed. has a curved arm or projection, 16', extending out from itsfree'end,. and the end of said arm 16' is adapted to extend directlyunder the lower tapering edge of the head 29 on the pin 27 when thetrigger is drawn back and the hammer fully cooked. (See Figs. 3 and 5.)By pushing in the button 26 when the hammer is cocked the tapering edgeof the'head 29 on-the pin 27 comes in between the stud 11 and the arm'16(see Fig. 3) and forces said arm and thc'lever 16 up, (see dotted lines,Fig. 5,) thus tripping the lever 16 and releasing the notch- 18 insaidlever from the stud 19 onthe hammer 10, and allowing said hammer tooperate to discharge the fire-arm.

IIC

From the above description, in connection with the drawings, theoperation of the mechanism for releasing the hammer or allowing it tooperate after it has been cocked, by pushing in the button 26, extendingthrough the handle of u the fire-arm, will be understood by thoseskilled in the 'art.

A continuous firing of the revolver until all the cartridges aredischarged is obtained by keeping the-button,26 pushed in,when thefirearm acts in the same manner and can be discharged with a rapidityequal to or greater than self cockin'g tire-arms of the ordinaryconstruction. j

It will be understood that the details of construction of my improvedmechanism for cocking and discharging a revoiving fire-arm may be variedsomewhattrom what I have described without departing from the principleof my invention, and the'same may be adapted to be employed inconnection with revolving firearms of any ordinary construction,

The push-button, for releasing the hammer after it has been-fullycocked, instead of ex'- tending through the side of the hammer, as abovedescribed, and illustrated in the drawings, may extend through the rearor front as part of the handle and be adapted to operate to releasethehammer in substantially the manner hereinbefore set forth.

Iwill now describe the second feature of m improvements in revolvingfire arms, relating -tothe manner of securing the barrel portion tothe-stock, so as to prevent, in case they are not properly securedtogether, (see Fig. 6,.) the full-cocking of the hammer 10 and theoperation of the same by ;pushing in the button 26," as above describedl In the upper part of thestock 3 is pivoted, by means of pins-B0,extending througheach side thereof, the fbarrel catch 31,- provided witha hook at its forward end to extendint'o and engage a bevel slot,;32,;made in the" rear end of the barrel portion 1 to secure said bar relportion to the stock. A conical or tapering projection, 33, is formedupon the upper parto't' the stock 3, adapted to enter into and engagea-corresponding depression madein the barrel portion when said barrelportion is in its proper position to befsecured to said "stock. (SeeFig. 2.) A spring. 34, is secured/ within the handle 'or stock 3,and'presses against the lower end of the catch 31-anddepresses the upperend of said catch',- caiis ing the hook thereomto engagewith the beveledslot 32 in'the barrel portion when .the same is depressed sufficiently.A small pin or screw, 35, secured in the stock 3 and extending throughan elongated hole, 36,'in the catch '31, (see Fig. 2,) limits thebackward-and-forward tilting motion of said catch. The'catch 31 isslottcd longitudinally or cut out upon its interior surface, asindicatedin Figs. 2,5, and 6, to allow of' the hammer 10 passing freelyback and forth within said catch 31. A stop-pin or screw, 37, extendsthrough the up. per part of the catch 31,with'its inner end projectingslightly beyond the interior surface of said catch. The object of .thepin 37, used in connection with the barrel-catch 31 and thehammer 10, isto prevent the full-cocking and operation of said hammer to dischargethe 6 5 fire-arm in case the barrel portion is not propperly secured tothe stock, as shown in Fig. 6.

scribed;

- It will be understood that the hammer must be. fully cocked in orderto be released or allowed to operate by pushing the'bntton 26, as abovedescribed. f

When the barrel portion and the stock are I properly secured together bymeans of the catch 31, as shown in Figs. 2 and 5 the, end of the hammer10 will pass freely by the end of the pin 37; but when the barrelportion is not properly secured to the stock, as indicated in Fig. 6,the rear end of the barrel portion presses against the hooked end of thecatch 31 and forces it ba.ck, and causes the end of the pin 37tocomeincontact with the upper 'end 80.

of the hammer 1 0 as thesame is forced back by the operation of thetrigger, preventing said hammer 'from'being fully cooked, as indicatedin-said figure, and thus preventing the pushbntton 26 from. releasingsaid hammer or allowin'gitto operate, by reason of the curved arm 16 notbeing drawn back snfficiently far to he acted upon by't'he head 29 onthe pin 27 of: the button" 26 in the manner above dc- 9 Inlieu of thepin' 37, a knob or projection,

.maybe formed upon the inner surface of the catch 31- to accomplishthe'same result as described above. The value of this feature of-i'nyjimprovements will be readily appreciated :by those skilled in theart,-for without this provision to prevent the full-cocking of thehammer and the discharge of. the fire-arm when thefbar'rel portion isnot properly secured;.to.the' stock serious accidents might occurbythe-til'ting forward of the barrel,

lOO

caused by the. operation of the hammer and the discharge of cartridge,either-accidentally or otherwise.

- ,The great advantage of my improvements in the mechanism for cookingand firing revolving fire-arms will be readily apparent to those skilledin the art. f

I am enabled to prevent the hammer from being accidentally orinadvertently operated to discharge the fire-arm after it has beencooked by means of the trigger, for a separate anddistinet operationisrequired to operate the hammer after it has been cocked-'-na'mely, thepushing in of a button extending through the handle of the fire-arm. V

I can obtain a continuous discharge of the fire-arm, as in fire-arms ofthe ordinary construction, by simply holding the'but-ton pressed in andoperating the trigger. v

Having thus described my improvements in fire-arms, what I claim as new,and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a fire-arm, the combination, with the trigger pivoted in thestock, a lever connecting said trigger with the hammer to cook the same,and said hammer, of a push-button extending through-the handle andprovided with an actuating-spring, a central spindle, and'an enlargedhead adapted to engage with and operate the lever to release the hammerafter it is cockedand allow the same-to operate, substantially as setforth.

2. The combination, with the trigger, a le- IIO and allow- 10 forth. v

- 3. 'The eoinnination, 'with a lever, 16, conver, 16, connecting saidtrigger with the ham-- mer, and said hammer provided with spin or studto engage said lever, and amainspring for operating said hammer, of apush-button provided with an actuating-spring and a central-spindle, andan enlarged head adapted to engage with the lever 16, to o erate thesame to release the hammer after it as been cocked it to operate,substantially as set --necting'tl1e -trigger with the hammer andprovided with a'cani'or projection, 23, to engage .and operate the lowerend of the cylinder-lock- 5 ing lever 21, of said cylinder-locking lever21,

v as shownand described.

operated by saidlever '16 in the manner set forth, andanactuating-spring,- substantially 4. In a fire-arm, acatch for securingthe 20. barrel portion to the stock, provided with a on the stock, of-a.barrel-catch pivoted in the pin or kncbagainst which the hammer strikesto prevent the full-cocking of the same in case thestock and barrelportion are not properly secured together, substantially as set forth.

5. In a fire-arm, the combination, with the stock and barrel portionadapted to be tiltedstock for'securing the barrel portionthereto andprovided with a stoppin or knobto pre- "6.1111 a-flre-arm, H catchpivoted in thestock and Provided with 5 same, substantially 4 I'a'vaas's vent the full-cocking and operation or the hammer inflcasethebarrel portion and the stock are not properlysecured together.substantially as set forth. the combination, with a a stop pin or knob,of the hammeradapted to strike against said pin to prevent thefull-cock5 .ing and operation of said hammer in case'the stock andbarrel portion. are not properly secured together, substantially as setforth.

" '7. In a firearm, acatch for'securing the barreltothe stock, hung on apin extending through the stock and adapted to be swung thereon and toextendthrougbthestock-to form the upper exposed edge thereofand'provided' with-an actuati-n'gpring, substan iallyasshown'anddescribed;

8. In a firearm, a. barrel-catch, 3'1, pivotally hung on a pin. 30',- inthe stock and pro-

